October 22, 2016

UCLA v Utah

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Book 'em, Mormans!

Appetizers - Eric

CHILE CON BRUIN BUENO

Ingredients
One 1-pound package refrigerated hot breakfast sausage
1 onion, diced
One 2-pound block processed cheese, such as Velveeta
One 10-ounce can diced tomatoes and green chiles
2 cans chopped green chiles
1 jalapeno, diced
Chips, for serving

Directions
Brown the sausage and onion in a large nonstick skillet, breaking the sausage up as you go. Once browned, drain off some of the fat.
Chop the cheese block into cubes and add along with the diced tomatoes and green chiles and chopped green chiles, juice and all.
Cook over a low heat until it all starts coming together. Then stir in the diced jalapeno. Serve with chips.

SHRIMP PUFFS

Ingredients

Cooking spray, for coating the muffin tin
1 7 1/2 -ounce can refrigerator biscuits
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
1 scallion, white part and some green, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 pound baby shrimp, cooked and peeled
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a miniature-muffin tin with cooking spray.
Split each biscuit in half and place each half in a muffin cup, pressing it into the bottom and up the sides.
In a medium-size bowl, mix the cheese, scallion, mayonnaise, shrimp and dill. Place 1 tablespoon of the shrimp mixture on top of each biscuit. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the puffs are golden and bubbling.

Main Dish - Paul

Breakfast Lasagna (Enough for all my Mormon Wives!)

1 bag frozen hashbrowns, 32 oz

1.5 pounds bacon

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1 green pepper, chopped

1 yellow pepper, chopped

8 oz sliced mushrooms

5 eggs

1 cup milk

2 cups of shredded Mexican 4-cheese mixture

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Layer frozen has browns in bottom of an 9X11 lasagna pan, season well with salt and pepper

Layer green peppers, yellow peppers and onion over the has browns,  Layer mushroom slices on top

Place bacon on top of mushrooms\

Beat eggs and milk, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.  Pour egg mixture of the top and spread grated cheese over the top over everything.  

Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.  

Serve with fresh fruit.

UCLA falls 52-45 to Utah

UCLA had faith in Mike Fafaul’s arm with sophomore quarterback Josh Rosen still sidelined.

The good – 464 passing yards and five touchdowns. The bad – 30 incomplete passes. The ugly – four interceptions.

Regardless, the backup redshirt senior quarterback led the Bruins to 45 points against the Utah Utes Saturday. For a UCLA team that has relied on its stout defense for most of the season, it should have been enough.

But Utah’s running back Joe Williams broke free and ran wild time and time again, en route to 332 yards and four touchdowns.

In 52-45 shootout, Fafaul’s arm just couldn’t keep up with Williams’ legs.

Once again, the Bruins couldn’t muster anything on the ground. Sophomore running back Bolu Olorunfunmi rushed for 24 yards on nine attempts, but was able to break free for a short touchdown in the first quarter.

Fafaul himself took off for 23 rushing yards, but the standout of the game was the running back on the other side of the field. Williams took it 43 yards for his second touchdown of the game in the second quarter. Then another one for 64 yards in the third quarter before capping it off with a 55-yard touchdown run in the fourth.

While senior defensive lineman Takkarist McKinley broke free to Utah’s quarterback Troy Williams for three sacks, the Bruin defense just couldn’t close up the holes fast enough.

Fafaul did as well as anyone could have hoped for in his second start in place of the injured Rosen. But when the opposing running back has a four touchdown day and you have no support once again from your own running game, sometimes 45 points just isn’t enough.

Dessert - Tim & Penny

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Ingredients

Cream Cheese Filing

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Streusel Topping

3 tablespoons brown sugar

4 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

5 tablespoons white sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons chopped pecans

Muffin Batter

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups white sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 15 oz. canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour 18 muffin cups, or use paper liners.

To make the filling: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until soft. Add egg, vanilla and brown sugar. Beat until smooth, then set aside.

For the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon and pecans. Add butter and cut it in with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.

For the muffin batter: In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center of flour mixture and add eggs, pumpkin, olive oil and vanilla. Beat together until smooth.

Place pumpkin mixture in muffin cups about 1/2 full. Then add one tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture right in the middle of the batter. Try to keep cream cheese from touching the paper cup. Sprinkle on the streusel topping.

Bake at 375 degrees F (195 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes.  Serve warm.

Makes 18 muffins, plus with the leftover batter, filing and topping, you can bake a small cake in a ramekin.

UCLA v Arizona

Saturday, October 1, 2016

UCLA v Arizona

 Grind the Gatos

& 

Retirement Celebration for Tim

A "small" problem as we entered the Rose Bowl in Gail and Eric's motorhome.

Eric did a great job, and did not panic.  After trying to determine what to do and numerous calls, it was decided we could not drive home in the motorhome.  A tow was arranged the next day and transportation via Super Shuttle was booked to take us home after the half.

Gail notified the police that the motorhome would be left at the Rose Bowl overnight.

Meanwhile, back to Game Day and the tailgate.

Appetizers - Paul & Barb

Bacon Wrapped Dates With Almonds

1lb pitted dates
1(4 ounce) package whole almonds, blanched
1 1⁄2lbs smoked bacon, thin sliced

DIRECTIONS

Stuff each date with one almond.

Cut bacon into half or thirds.

Wrap bacon around date and secure with a round toothpick.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place dates on a foil lined (they are messy and this makes them much easier to

clean-up) baking pan and cook until bacon is crispy (around 15 minutes).

Drain on paper towel and serve warm or room temperature.

Sour Cream and Bacon Deviled Eggs

Recipe courtesy of Trisha Yearwood

Ingredients

12 large eggs

6 tablespoons sour cream

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

4 tablespoons chopped chives

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions 

Place the eggs in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and let the eggs stand in the water for 20 minutes. Pour off the hot water and fill the saucepan with cold water. Let the eggs sit in the cold water for 5 minutes. Then crack the eggshells and peel. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

Halve the eggs lengthwise. Carefully remove the yolks and transfer them to a small bowl. Mash the yolks with a fork, stirring in the sour cream and mayonnaise. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon and chives for garnish and add the remaining bacon and chives to the yolk mixture, stirring well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Scoop a spoonful of the yolk mixture into each egg white half.          Sprinkle the tops with the reserved bacon and chives.

Swiss and Bacon Dip

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray

  

Ingredients

8 slices center cut bacon, chopped

8 ounces softened cream cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 rounded teaspoons prepared Dijon style mustard

1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, available on dairy aisle

3 scallions, chopped

1/2 cup smoked almonds, coarsely chopped

Baby carrots and a selection of spiced flat breads, cocktail sized pumpernickel or rye breads, or sliced whole grain baguettes, for dipping

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Brown bacon in nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Drain crisp bacon bits on paper towels.

In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, Dijon, Swiss and scallions with cooked bacon. Transfer to a shallow small casserole or baking dish and bake until golden and bubbly at edges, 15 to 18 minutes. Top with chopped smoked almonds. Place dip on a platter and surround warm casserole with breads and carrots for dipping.

Variation: Swiss and Bacon Dip with Horseradish - Stir in 2 rounded teaspoons prepared horseradish when combining cheese and bacon.

Main Dish and Sides - Penny & Tim

Kentucky Fried Chicken and most of the sides.
Left the cole slaw home by mistake.

 Dessert - Eric & Gail

RETIREMENT SPECIAL CARROT CAKE 
(based on recipe from Ree Drummond)
Cake

2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 whole eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups grated carrots
Butter, for greasing

Icing

1 stick butter, softened
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 pound powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup pecans, chopped finely

Directions
For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together the granulated sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and combine. Then add the carrots and mix well. Pour the batter into a greased and floured Bundt pan and bake until done, about 50 minutes. Leave to cool completely.
Meanwhile, for the icing: In a larger bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese together. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and blend. Then mix in the pecans. Spread the icing on the cooled carrot cake.

Thanks to Barb & Paul for the shirt!

UCLA Bruins Defeat Arizona 45-24

Meanwhile, we had to leave the game before half-time to walk back to the motorhome and gather our belonging, then head the the shuttle to take us to the Parson's parking lot.  From there we walked to the Courtyard by Marriott in Old Pasadena to catch our Super Shuttle by 10 p.m.

Gail does not look amused.

Thanks to our shuttle drive and light traffic, we made it home to Murrieta a little after 11 p.m.  What an adventure this turned out to be!  But at least the Bruins won!  Go UCLA!!